Sten Mk II

The Sten MK (or Mark) II was the widely produced version of the popular British Sten series of submachine gun with over two million produced in just three years during the war. The Sten-series as a whole was based on the principle of cheap design and production - both affable factors during wartime production. The Sten was a no-frills weapon system and designed for close combat. The Mk II was a more refined version of the Mk I and built to be lighter and smaller than it's predecessor. The entire system was basically built around the tube barrel, with even the butt of the gun being simple bent tubing.

Operation of the weapon was smooth and the weapon was simple enough to break down quickly, which was important to special forces operatives and paratroopers alike. The 30 round magazine proved sufficient (though it was engineered to accept 32 total rounds, this was generally disregarded to protect from excessive wear and tear on the magazine spring).

Variants included the Sten Mk I, rarely seen but features a large muzzle compensator and forward grip. There was also a silenced version of the Mk II known as the Mk II(S) designed specifically for special forces commandos. The Sten Mk III was basically the Mk II but did not have the capability to be broken down as the Mk II did. The Sten Mk IVA and Mk IVB were designed but never entered production. The Sten Mk V and Mk VI were attempts to make the system more appealing to British troops by adding sights, a wooden butt and fixtures for bayonet mounting.

In all, the Mk II remained the King of the Sten submachine gun series during the Second World War and a favorite among British troops.

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Last Updated: 11/2/2009